QUEENSLAND Rugby League (QRL) broke new ground in 2004 when the Gold Coast?s Burleigh Bears won the Queensland Cup Grand Final in ?golden point? time, the result setting a new standard for football in the Sunshine State. It was the first time that the competition decider went into extra time with Easts Tigers and the Bears playing for 17 anxious minutes after the fulltime whistle.

WIGAN have welcomed their four new overseas signings - Australians Dennis Moran and Luke Davico and New Zealanders David Vaealiki and Jerry Seu Seu - to the club, but there is still no word on whether Mike Gregory will be involved in their coaching next season.

REDCLIFFE punished Ipswich early in defence to set up their 34-8 win at Dolphin Oval last Saturday. The Dolphins scored four tries in 12 minutes in the lead up to halftime to lead 28-4 at the break. They had earlier unsettled the Jets who had taken a 4-nil lead through a try to former Dolphin Tim Gee from a grubber kick.
The Jets started with intent but lost continuity after being repeatedly smashed by a fired up Redcliffe pack that it was keen to show it?s quality after being labelled soft by a couple of Clydesdales players in their encounter last game.
The match statistics show that both sides had a fairly even completion rate and time in possession. But the key stat was the miss tackle count which Redcliffe missed 17 and Ipswich 30. It was a big improvement from the last game when the Dolphins missed 45 tackles.
Forwards Andrew Wynyard and Nathan Sologinkin impressed early on and hooker Nathan Black showed the speed that Coach Wharton was looking for from the dummy half area. The highlight of the Dolphins first half display apart from Shane Perry?s masterful performance leading the Dolphins around the park from five-eighth, was chase of four or five Dolphin defenders on a Perry kick.
Danny Green led the charge and jolted the ball free from a hapless Jet and centre Damien Richters was on hand to score the four pointer. Halfback Michael Roberts also earned the praise of his coach after a disappointing game against Toowoomba. Roberts was back to his best with a strong running game and set up both of Perry?s tries with a deft pass and a clever kick.
The Dolphins effort was even more commendable considering the penalty count was 9-1 to the Jets.
But it was definitely Shane Perry who was the dominant player on the field on Saturday. He played surperbly behind a forward pack that went forward all day. Perry?s passing and kicking game oozed class throwing the final pass to Phil Shilvock and Trent Leis?s tries.

THE Blues Origin squad assembled this morning for medicals at Telstra Stadium amid doubts over Newcastle winger Timana Tahu's fitness. Club coach and opposing State coach, Michael Hagan, said he felt it may have been too much to expect the big winger to play in the opener against the Maroons on May 26 in Sydney.